Samsung Galaxy S8 to have dual camera like the iPhone 7 Plus
With Apple’s iPhone 7 launch scheduled for next week, not only is it an exciting time to be an Apple fanboy, but there’s plenty for those who prefer Android to mull over too.
Android fans will undoubtedly be keeping a beady eye on proceedings to see if there are any features on the new iPhones that don’t exist on their handsets; the rumoured dual camera, for example, with two sensors that combine for better photos.
That’s hotly tipped to appear on the iPhone 7 Plus, but Android lovers shouldn’t look on with jealous eyes. Samsung is now also tipped to adopt similar technology with its flagship phone for next year.
We’ve previously heard murmurings on a similar line, but the latest rumour about the Samsung Galaxy S8 reinforces that it too will have a dual rear camera, with 12 and 13-megapixel sensors combining to provide images with greater depth of field and professional-style bokeh effects.
- Samsung Galaxy S8: What we want to see and what’s the story so far?
It will also have an 8-megapixel camera on the front, it is said, so will take fantastic selfies to boot.
Considering that the phone is also reported to come with a 4K display, it could very well be the handset to beat in 2017.
Of course, at this early stage you have to take everything with a pinch of salt. The source for the dual camera news is a Weibo poster who runs SamMobile China, so that adds a tad more weight, but so much can change before next spring.
One thing you can rely on is that we’ll keep you up to date until then.
Sonos now controllable via Spotify app, Amazon voice control coming 2017
Sonos, the wireless multi-room speaker system, has confirmed that it will soon allow users to have full control of their system via the desktop and mobile Spotify app. It also announced it would be adding voice support via Amazon’s Alexa powered products, such as Amazon Echo or Dash.
The two announcements made ahead of IFA in Berlin, will allow Spotify users to completely bypass the dedicated Sonos app, along with bark music requests via the Amazon Echo device from anywhere around the home.
On the Spotify front, the new Spotify/Sonos app will deliver a similar experience already available to Spotify Connect users. Users will be able to play music directly from the Spotify app to any specific Sonos speaker, as well as select multiple speakers, allowing them to create grouped speaker zones.
The two companies say they’ve worked closely together to ensure the experience is “seamless”.
The collaboration also means users will be able to control their Sonos system away from the home. That could be perfect for users who have Wi-Fi “blind spots” in the home, or as Sonos suggests, allow users to have the music playing before they walk into their home.
The company will release a beta of the new feature in October, with a roll out thereafter. Sonos has said that it is also hoping to be able to offer a similar experience through other music services in the future.
Amazon
In terms of Amazon Echo, Sonos says that all users will be able to control their music by using an Amazon Echo-enabled device from early 2017.
Available as a software update to existing and new Sonos users, music lovers will be able to ask what’s playing, pause a track and select which Sonos speakers to play to via the Amazon Alexa service, without having to pick up a device like an iPad or smartphone.
Subscribe to SelectTV, the world’s largest entertainment library, now up to 54 per cent off
Hulu and Netflix might be solid streaming services, but they can’t provide you with cable’s top networks.
That’s why there’s SelectTV. Bringing the best of cable and web-based streaming together, SelectTV boasts the world’s biggest library of shows, movies, TV networks, and more. Plus, Pocket-lint readers can save big on subscriptions for a limited time.
Normally £47.52, a 1-year subscription to Select TV is on sale for only £25.08 ($19 USD).
Select TV lets you access a colossal library of shows, movies, radio stations, and even live channels from over 150 countries, and it’s all done through its simple browser interface. Easy to set up, SelectTV connects to your home through Google Chromecast or a simple HDMI cable, and it’s compatible with any device.
With SelectTV, you not only get access to thousands of shows and movies, but you also get to enjoy over 1,000 curated channels with the latest episodes from top networks. Plus, you can watch the latest TV and box office hits with Select TV’s Pay Per View service. What’s more, you even get access to thousands of radio stations from across the world.
SelectTV also offers a complete calendar of live events, sports games, and more, all streamed live from the web. Whether you’re hoping to follow your favorite sports team or tune into a live concert, SelectTV has your viewing covered.
For a limited time, Pocket-lint readers can take nearly half off their SelectTV subscriptions. Get a year for £25.08 ($19 USD) or three for three for just £64.68 ($49 USD).
Mophie’s cheapest battery packs yet start at just $30
There are two things Mophie has always been known for: Delivering attractive mobile cases and battery packs that fit right alongside Apple’s aesthetic, and making you pay a premium to own its products. That all changes with the company’s next batch of mobile battery packs, which are up to 50 percent cheaper than their previous models. They’re still sleek, but of course, Mophie had to make some manufacturing tweaks to lower its production costs. Now instead of being encased entirely in metal, they’re sandwiched between two pieces of aluminum.
As with the company’s last Powerstations, they’re basically just bricks for connecting your own two USB cables and charging whatever device you want. The svelte new 3,000 mAh Powerstation Mini goes for just $30, compared to $60 for the previous cheapest model (though that one came with a 4,000 mAh) battery. That’s big enough to recharge most Android phones completely, and it’s almost two full charges for the iPhone 6S. The 6,000 mAh Powerstation, meanwhile, sells for $50 instead of $80 like the last model.
Rounding out the selection, the 10,000 mAh Powerstation XL comes in at $70, while the 20,000 mAh XXL is $100. And if you’ve got a newer Android phone with USB-C, you can opt for the 10,000 mAh Powerstation USB-C model for $100.
If you’d rather have a built-in cable, Mophie’s new Powerstation Plus line starts at $60 for the 4,000 mAh version. Instead of having separate models for micro-USB and Apple’s Lightning connector, all of the revamped Powerstation Plus packs have swappable tips to flip between those two standards. And for people who bought Mophie’s Charge Force wireless charging cases, there’s a 10,000 mAh Powerstation with that technology integrated for $100 as well.
It’s hard to get excited about portable power packs these days, but it’s heartening to see a premium brand like Mophie seriously rethinking its prices.
Samsung launches first Exynos chip with all radios built in
Samsung has revealed a new chip that could have a ripple effect on its high-end smartphones, and will make IoT devices and smartphones for developing markets faster, slimmer and cheaper. The quad-core 7570 is the first Exynos chip to have all wireless tech, including Cat.4 LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth, FM and GNSS (GPS), built in to a single chip. It has 70 percent more performance and uses 30 percent less battery power than its predecessor, with everything squeezed into a 20 percent smaller package.
The chip can also handle signal processing for up to 8-megapixel front and 13-megapixel back cameras, Full HD video, and a WXGA screen (1,366 x 768 resolution). Samsung was able to pack all that in by using 14-nanometer manufacturing for the first time on a budget chip. So far, that’s been reserved for its higher-end processors, including the top-of-the-line Exynos 8890.
Though the latest chip isn’t that interesting, performance-wise, it may have a ripple effect on the high-end market. While Exynos chips like the 8890 have similar performance to rival Snapdragon models, they have limited LTE and CDMA (3G) options. That’s mainly why it still uses Qualcomm chips in US versions of its flagship Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Note 7 models. If it can squeeze more radio options into next-gen flagship processors, though, it may be able to wean itself off of its rival’s tech.
In addition, Google wants $50 Android One smartphones for the developing world, but as we found out, there are a lot of compromises to building one at that price. Samsung’s Exynos 7570 might not go into devices that cheap, but it shows that packing in more functionality via smaller transistors is likely the best way to build cheap phones that are still decent.
Source: Samsung
Sonos opens up: Spotify Connect and Amazon Echo control is coming
As much as Sonos is known for high-quality connected speakers, it’s also built up a reputation for lackluster software and a closed ecosystem. And that’s getting harder to live with as alternative platforms like Google’s Cast (formerly Chromecast) are flourishing alongside smart partnerships (see Vizio’s recent TVs) and inexpensive devices like the Chromecast Audio. So to course correct, Sonos announced today that it’s opening up its platform to Spotify Connect, and it has also kicked off a “long-term strategic collaboration” with Amazon to integrate Echo voice control with its speakers.
The Spotify Connect support will be particularly useful for anyone who’s grown tired of Sonos’s software. You’ll be able to control the company’s speakers from within any Spotify app. You’ll even be able to get music playing across multiple rooms, since all of your Sonos groups will appear inside Spotify. The Sonos app will also recognize the songs Spotify is delivering, so if your friend is streaming a song you’ve never heard, you’ll be able to add it to your library easily.
The Amazon Echo integration works as you’d expect. You can ask Alexa to play music on specific Sonos speakers, and if an unfamiliar tune pops up in a playlist, you can also ask what is actually playing. You’ll have to wait a while to marry Sonos and Amazon’s Echo, though. The integration will be available in private beta later this year, but it won’t reach general users until 2017.
As for other updates, you’ll soon be able to control your Sonos speakers even when you’re away from your home WiFi network. That’ll let you get the party started a bit early on your drive home from work (or at least easily annoy your family or roomates). Sonos is also joining the Open Music Initiative, a non-profit group dedicated to open sourcing access to music. That’s a big sign that the company will open up its platform even more down the line.
Developing…
Google wants your help to improve its automatic translations
Google’s ability to interpret and translate handwriting isn’t perfect. Sometimes you’ll scribble a word or take a photo of a restaurant menu on holiday, only to have a garbled mess thrown back at you. To help its “smart” assistants and services, Google has released a new app on the Play Store called Crowdsource. It’s a bare-bones affair, asking you to transcribe digital squiggles and photographed road signs. There are no discernible rewards, only the occasional message (“you’re great!”) and meaningless ‘milestone’ when you’ve completed a certain number of tasks. In short, you’ll need to really love Google to open the app more than once.
The app, of course, is still hugely beneficial to Google. Any submissions — no matter how few — can be fed into its algorithms and used as a foundation for better, more accurate translations and analysis. The subsequent improvements should trickle down into Maps, Translate, Photos and conversational services such as Google Assistant. It’s just a shame the company hasn’t integrated some form of reward system — something similar to Google Opinion Rewards or the Google Maps Local Guides program would go a long way to incentivizing contributions.
Via: Android Police, TechCrunch
Papa John’s Announces Pizza-Ordering App for Apple TV
Pizza chain Papa John’s today announced the launch of its own app for the fourth generation Apple TV, which will let customers create and order pizzas within the app with a special discount price of 25 percent on each order placed on Apple’s set-top box. The app marks the first of its kind on Apple TV for a national restaurant brand focusing on placing food orders.
The app includes Papa John’s full menu of pizzas, sides, drinks, and desserts, with a full customizable pizza topping creator available as well. In order to provide an easy check-out process, users can sign into an existing Papa John’s account to automatically provide an address, payment information, and gain access to saved favorite meals.
“Pizza and entertainment are a natural fit,” said “Papa John” Schnatter, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Papa John’s. “With the launch of our Apple TV app, we’re hoping to make family movie night and friend gatherings around the TV even more enjoyable by delivering the same quality product and experience our customers expect in a convenient and interactive way.”
Once users begin ordering on the app, they can revisit past orders to simply re-order the same thing, or start an all-new meal selection process with Papa John’s aim for creating a “conversational” food ordering experience in the living room. The app is compatible only with the fourth generation Apple TV, and will begin rolling out wide today.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Tag: Papa John’s
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Expects Appeal of Irish Tax Ruling to Take ‘Several Years’ With No Impact on Near-Term Financial Results
Following the European Commission’s ruling that Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland, and must pay $14.5 billion in back taxes to the country, the company has published a new FAQ that addresses potential concerns investors may have about the decision and the effect on its bottom line.
Apple started out by confirming the decision is not final and that it plans to appeal. The company is “confident” the ruling “will be overturned” by courts in the European Union, but it notes the process is “likely to take several years.” In the meantime, Apple does not expect any near-term impact on its financial results.
How does this decision impact Apple’s near-term financial results?
Will you take a tax charge? Does this alter your previous guidance?
We do not expect any near-term impact on our financial results nor a restatement of previous results from this decision. We have previously accrued U.S. taxes related to the income in question. The tax rate guidance for Apple’s fourth fiscal quarter that we provided on July 26, 2016 does not change as a result of this decision.
Apple added that it does not currently expect the decision to have an impact on its tax rate or cash balance going forward, but the company anticipates it will place an unspecified amount of cash in an escrow account. Apple expects the amount will be reported as restricted cash on its balance sheet.
The European Commission’s ruling followed a three-year inquiry into Apple’s tax arrangements in Ireland, where it paid between 0.005% and 1% in taxes from 2003 through 2014, compared to the country’s headline 12.5% corporate tax rate. Apple insists it “follows the law and pays all of the taxes” it owes.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tags: AAPL, corporate tax, European Commission, Europe, Ireland
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What’s new for Intel Core 7th Gen? Kaby Lake processors explained, 4K media focus
Year on year Intel is committed to updating its Intel Core processors, with the latest seventh-generation chip even bearing a “7th Gen” badge its visual marketing and on-shelf positioning.
Perhaps that’s no surprise when you hear people talking about the product’s Kaby Lake codename – preceding was Skylake in 2015, Broadwell in 2014 – and wondering “what the heck?”.
So what’s Intel Core 7th Gen Kaby Lake all about, which processor arrangement is right for you, and is it that much better than last year’s Skylake chipset?
Intel Core 7th Gen: Speed gains
The goal of new processors is, typically, to go one faster than the previous generation. Kaby Lake is built on the same 14-nanometre (nm) architecture as Skylake, so the performance gains are only marginal this time around: with a 300-400mHz gain anticipated by the company increasing the range of several frequencies.
It won’t be until the next push in architecture, with the 10nm Cannonlake, that we’ll see additional performance increases.
Intel Core 7th Gen: 4K media handling
What is really new about Kaby Lake is the addition of a dedicated media engine. This is a new aspect to the processor, designed for power-efficiency and additional performance, is targeted particularly at better experiences with 4K content.
Intel says it will deliver “improved media experiences with HEVC 10-bit and VP9” – both of which are the codecs that handle 4K content.
Intel Core 7th Gen: Battery life
Intel cites “adaptive performance” as a key function of 7th Gen, the ability to take read inputs from simple factors – say, ambient temperature, or orientation to acknowledge when a device is in a docked position – to determine how long it can sustain Turbo Boost (faster speed), to improve overall performance. That’s not a brand new feature, but it’s a wider implementation, says Intel.
Battery life for 7th Gen is said to be “similar” to 6th Gen, but should show considerable improvements for 4K consumption: stream YouTube 4K for 7-hours rather than 4-hours, for a 1.75x improvement, is Intel’s claim.
Intel Core 7th Gen: What of Core M?
Intel’s fanless (and thus silent) Intel Core M is designed for low-power mobile use. Until now it’s been available in M3, M5 and M7 configurations – the higher the number the greater the performance – but the top-end M7 is getting axed for 2016’s 7th Gen run. Instead we’ll see a fanless 4.5W Core i7 Y in its place.
Intel Core 7th Gen: Which processor is right for you?
Key to 7th Gen is that it’s a “scalable and adaptable” architecture. There are multiple aspects to consider here: clock speed performance, which increases up the range of i3, i5 and i7 processors; cores, with single-core, dual-core, quad-core (and potentially more paired for higher-performance arrangements – but Intel is saying nothing more just yet); and the letter-based market segmentation – Y, U, H, S and X – which defines a product’s positioning and form factor (often a balance of performance to heat output to power consumption, as suited).
Y targets 2-in-1s, tablets for mobile-based use (low-consumption 4.5W), with 7th Gen available from September 2016; U targets ultra-slim laptops and portables; H is a more powerful step-up again, typically with additional cores; S, is designed for desktop iterations (hence its 65W draw); and Extreme Edition (X), which is the premium, gaming-targeted super-processor, available from 2017.
Intel Core 7th Gen: Wrap-up
In summary, then, Intel Core 7th Gen processors are Intel’s bid for 4K media consumption.
As Kaby Lake architecture is the same 14nm as the previous-gen Skylake, however, don’t expect huge speed improvements this time around. Instead it’s a focus on media and gains in efficiency.
Hopefully it’ll be the end of choppy, stuttery 4K playback, making a better world for all. And come 2017 we’ll get to see the gains made in top-end setups too.
AIVAnet 